THE WORTH OF CONVERTED CHURCH MEMBERS
Every true and wise pastor ought to ask himself “how much is a converted church member worth?” A passing glance or fleeting consideration of the question will yield no exciting answer. However a thoughtful, detailed, long-term view or outlook shows tremendous insights and possibilities. Converted church members are:
- PRECIOUS SOULS TO THE SAVIOUR
- PRACTICAL SOULWINNERS FOR THE SHEEPFOLD
- PROFITABLE SUPPORTERS OF THE STOREHOUSE
J.C. Penney, a successful retail chain in the USA has customers whose average spending is about $100 per week or $5,000 per year. However he has learnt by experience that an average satisfied customer is likely to introduce another customer. This therefore doubles the potential of such a customer. He looks at each customer over a ten-year period, so that without any increase in average spending, such a customer is likely to spend $50,000 in his retail chain over a decade. With the bonus of the additional customer that this satisfied, loyal customer is likely to introduce, he therefore treats every customer like a $100,000 asset to his business rather than view him from the angle of today’s insignificant purchases. What a wisdom!
He also evaluated the havoc done to his business from one dissatisfied customer. The cost of replacing that customer is very high. However the many people that the dissatisfied customer will also disuade from patronising the shop is an additional cost as well.
Can’t we see a relevant pattern for the church in this? A satisfied church member wins others and supports the work in every way. One disgruntled, dissatisfied church member is always a liability to the local church. He can pull down in a moment structures that have taken a decade to put in place.
A converted church member is a great asset that has the potential of multiplying himself many times over in the course of years and he can also provide financial support for the work.
PRECIOUS SOULS TO THE SAVIOUR
Matthew 16:26; 4:19,20; 28:18-20; Mark 8:36,37; 16:15-20; Luke 15:7,10; 24:47,48; 19:10; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Proverbs 11:30.
The wealth of the world cannot substitute for the price of a soul. It is possible to gain the whole world materially speaking and yet loose ones soul because there is nothing that can be given in exchange for ones soul (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36,37).
Each soul is precious to Christ. This is the reason why He came to the world to die on the cross for us. He tasted death for EVERYMAN (Hebrews 2:9; Galatians 1:4; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 17:30).
He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10) and He has given the church the Great Commission to continue this legacy of fishing for men, seeking and saving the lost, preaching the gospel to EVERY CREATURE to the intent that they can be saved (Matthew 28:18-20; 4:19,20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:47,48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8).
Nothing rejoices the heart of Christ more than seeing these precious souls for whom He died getting saved (Luke 15:7,10). How much is a converted church member worth? He is a very precious soul to the Saviour. That is his primary worth – a gem in the Saviour’s treasure chest.
The wise pastor will labour to win souls (Proverbs 11:30). Our pews must not be filled with the unconverted. As they come into the church, we must strive to get them saved and subsequently lead them into other christian experiences of sanctification and Holy Ghost baptism. Partaking of the divine nature through the holiness experience must be emphasised as the ultimate purpose of redemption.
PRACTICAL SOULWINNERS FOR THE SHEEPFOLD
2 Timothy 2:2; John 17:20; 15:2; Matthew 9:36-38; 10:1,5-8; Luke 9:1-6,10; 10:1-9,17; Acts 1:8; 8:1,4
The Lord does not expect that the gospel should terminate with us. Every converted church member is to be a link to getting others saved as well as maturing them (2 Timothy 2:2; John 17:20).
The wise pastor does not only see a converted church member as a precious soul to the Saviour, a sheep in the Sheepfold but also a practical soulwinner for the sheepfold. The Great Commission is to be EVERY believer’s ministry and priority (John 17:20; 15:2; Matthew 9:36-38; 10:1,5-8; Luke 9:1-6,10; 10:1-9,17; Acts 1:8; 8:1,4). We must disciple the believers in aggressive evangelism. This is the foundation for church growth and doing exploits for the Lord. A single converted, committed church member can set a church on revival fire. Consider the practical implications of the law of exponential multiplication.
Let us consider a 25-year scenario that is divided into five-year segments. Let us assume that it takes 5 years for such a converted church member to mature and that he wins one soul per 5-year segment after maturing, who he then disciples after the same manner.
Although this model is far too simple and “lazy”, however let us consider the result in year 25:
mature believers / Total number of
Tithing believers
0 / 1 / - / 1
5 / 1 / 1 / 2
10 / 2 / 2 / 4
15 / 4 / 4 / 8
20 / 8 / 8 / 16
25 / 16 / 16 / 32
PROFITABLE SUPPORTERS OF THE STOREHOUSE
Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 3:9,10; Deuteronomy 26:1-15; 16:16,17; 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5,12; 9:6-11; 12:15; 2 Samuel 24:24.
The church ordinarily does not need the patronage of rich men. God’s work can be done through the faithful giving of His people and the faithful, wise management of these resources by the leadership of the church. Every genuine believer will be a financial supporter of the storehouse from where he receives his spiritual meat (Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 3:9,10; Deuteronomy 26:1-15; 16:16,17; 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5,12; 9:6-11; 12:15; 2 Samuel 24:24).
It is the responsibility of the local shepherd to teach the believers the priority of their responsibility to the storehouse. Well-fed cows will normally produce milk and they can be milked. Well-fed sheep can be shorn of their wool. Believers that are adequately nourished will necessarily bring their tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in God’s house.
Let us assume that each believer is faithful in supporting the storehouse. If a person’s tithe is 70 Euro a month, that equates to 840 Euro a year. Over the period of 25 years, the one converted and committed church member working at our supposed snail speed will (through his consistency) have multiplied himself 32 times and also brought in 156,000 Euro tithe into the vineyard for the work of the gospel.
This may seem to be little. At this SLOW rate, a church of 100 today should be 3,200 in 25 years time and should have had a total tithe of over 15 million Euro over that period. See the table below for clarity.
Year / Number of Tithers / Tithe (Euro) / Cumulative Tithe (Euro)1 / 1 / 840 / 840
2 / 1 / 840 / 1,680
3 / 1 / 840 / 2,520
4 / 1 / 840 / 3,360
5 / 2 / 1,680 / 5,040
6 / 2 / 1,680 / 6,720
7 / 2 / 1,680 / 8,400
8 / 2 / 1,680 / 10,080
9 / 2 / 1,680 / 11,760
10 / 4 / 3,360 / 15,120
11 / 4 / 3,360 / 18,480
12 / 4 / 3,360 / 21,840
13 / 4 / 3,360 / 25,200
14 / 4 / 3,360 / 28,560
15 / 8 / 6,720 / 35,280
16 / 8 / 6,720 / 42,000
17 / 8 / 6,720 / 48,720
18 / 8 / 6,720 / 55,440
19 / 8 / 6,720 / 62,160
20 / 16 / 13,440 / 75,600
21 / 16 / 13,440 / 89,040
22 / 16 / 13,440 / 102,480
23 / 16 / 13,440 / 115,920
24 / 16 / 13,440 / 129,360
25 / 32 / 26,880 / 156,240
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